


We Won't Survive The Night

by kuroken_is_trash



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, M/M, Star Trek: AOS
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2014-03-12
Packaged: 2018-01-01 15:19:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1045472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuroken_is_trash/pseuds/kuroken_is_trash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hikaru Sulu and Pavel Chekov, two boys from District 3, get chosen for the Hunger Games.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Reaping

**Author's Note:**

> Let's just pretend Katniss' rebellion didn't become anything.

Hikaru woke with a start. He never seemed to remember good dreams from the night before, but he remembered this nightmare. Every detail about his best friend, Pavel being dragged away by white clad Peacekeepers was burned into his mind like a cattle brand. But it was the morning of the Reaping and Hikaru dismissed the nightmare, knowing full well that it wouldn’t help to dwell on his subconscious imagination.

The seventeen year old boy got dressed, the rest of the house silent. His parents and sisters were still asleep, trying to get some amount of rest before the nerve wracking day ahead. It didn’t matter what time he'd gone to bed the night before, Hikaru had never been able to sleep past sunrise on the day of the Reaping. 

Hikaru put on modest gray dress pants and a crisp white button up, leaving the first button undone. The day was going to be chilly, the day of the Reaping always was, so he slipped on a black cardigan. His mother always told him to dress modestly on the day of the Reaping, as if wearing monochromatic clothing would make him any less susceptible to the cruel hand of fate. It hadn’t helped his older sister, Aiko, three years before.

Before leaving the house, Hikaru grabs two bagels, wrapping them in a napkin. His parents are both engineers, so they live in the more privileged part of District 3 and thankfully they've never had to sacrifice breakfast. Pavel,on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. Like Hikaru, Pavel lived in the same part of town, but his mother had died years before and since they were foreigners, his father didn’t make as much money as the other engineers. His measly salary was barely enough to keep a roof over their heads. 

Pavel’s house is only three minutes from Hikaru’s so he walks at a leisurely pace. He's careful to avoid Peacekeepers on the way. Even though he's not doing anything illegal, Peacekeepers are eager to make arrests on Reaping day so he hurries along.

“Pavel, it's me,” Hikaru whispers as he knocks on Pavel's bedroom window.

A few minutes later, Pavel comes to the window, dressed in his Reaping outfit. It’s almost identical to what Hikaru is wearing but the clothes hang off his body. Pavel has always been smaller than other boys his age and no matter how much he eats, he can't seem to gain weight.

“Karu, you don’t have to whisper, you're not doing anything wrong,” Pavel said as he opened the window and leaned out to greet his friend.

Hikaru nodded. “But you know how they are on Reaping day.”

“Don’t remind me,” Pavel rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his messy curls. “Give me a second and I'll be out.”

Hikaru paced back and forth on the front porch while he waited for Pavel. He wasn't usually this nervous on the day of the Reaping, but something about it being his last made the day especially foreboding. The odds were in his favor that he wouldn't get picked, but he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if he were.

“Ready?” Pavel's voice yanked Hikaru out of his thoughts.

Hikaru smiled in response, giving Pavel a once over, then nodded. “Let's go.”

The boys didn’t speak as they walked to the town center, munching on the bagels Hikaru brought. Pavel practically inhaled his portion, as if it's the last meal he'll ever eat. Hikaru grew more nervous and handed the rest of his to Pavel, who smiled and inhaled it like a hungry wolf.

“Do you mind if I stop somewhere in town first?” Hikaru asked as they neared the square. The stores are all closed the day of the Reaping, but Hikaru knew the woman who owned one of the stores. 

“No problem,” Pavel answered. “I'll meet you there.”

Hikaru paused for a second, then pulled Pavel in for a hug. He seemed taken aback, but leaned in to the hug. 

“Last one,” Pavel said.

“Last one,” Hikaru echoed. He released Pavel and turned away when he felt tears spring up in his eyes.

“Hey,” Pavel grabbed Hikaru's hand. “It'll be okay.”

Hikaru nodded and inhaled shakily. “I'm just worried about my sisters.”

“There's no reason to be,” Pavel said, reassuring his friend with a hand squeeze. “Your family is fortunate enough not to need the tessera.”

Hikaru knew that his fear wasn’t rational. There were lots of children in District 3, more girls than boys even, so the likelihood that either of his two sisters would be chosen was slim. Still, this was exactly what he told himself on the day Aiko's name was drawn three years ago. The pit in his stomach grew deeper when he thought about her look of terror when her name was drawn.

“We'll be fine,” Pavel reminded him. “I'll see you there.”

**X X X**

After his run to the corner store, Hikaru made his way to the square in front of the Hall of Justice where the Reaping took place. He stepped up to the desk where they identified eligible participants. He looked around, searching the crowd for Pavel, hardly noticing when the lady pricked his arm to take a blood sample. He finally spotted Pavel's curly hair in the sea of boys and practically ran to his friend's side.

Pavel smiled when Hikaru laid a hand on his shoulder. They had stood together at every Reaping since they were twelve years old, trembling with anxiety, collapsing into each other when their names failed to be called. Today was the last day of that horrible tradition. For a few years, they would be free from the horror of the Reaping, until they had their own children and they became eligible for the Games.

They stood in solemn silence while the other children filed in. Hikaru looked around at the boy's section, suddenly saddened that one of these boys would likely never see District 3 after today. He stopped himself from thinking about it by reminding himself that after today, he and Pavel would be free to live their lives without the fear of not surviving another year.  
The quiet murmur of the crowd fell silent as District 3's escort, Zorro Remington stepped up to the microphone.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!” His deep, booming voice slipped from his silver painted lips and echoed through the square. “Welcome to the beginning of the 100th annual Hunger Games!”

There was soft applause, as was expected from the crowd, but otherwise, the inhabitants of District 3 stood silent, waiting to find out which one of their children would be taken from them forever.

“Now, before we begin, we have a slight last minute change in the rules for this year.”

The soft murmur from the crowd started up again, this time not one mandated by the Capitol.

“As you know, this year marks another extra special Quarter Quell, but also the centennial of the unification of Panem!” Zorro explained, as if this was an anniversary to be celebrated throughout the districts. “Because we in the Capitol agree something extra special should be done for this year's Quarter Quell, there will be a slightly different pool of eligible tributes.”

The murmur of the crowd grew louder as people speculated as to what the change would be. Hikaru turned to Pavel, raising an eyebrow.

“You dont think...”

“They're going to draw from everyone in the district?” Pavel asked.

“Let's hope not,” Hikaru sighed, thinking of his parents. Not only were he and his two remaining sisters at risk, but the likelihood that he would lose a loved one could only go up if that were the case.

“Now, even I do not know the conditions of this year's Quarter Quell,” Zorro explained as he was handed an envelope from the solemn faced mayor.

The crowd fell silent as Zorro slowly and tortuously opened the envelope containing the fate of the citizens of District 3. The escort let out a sudden gasp and a smile emerged on his face.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to announce that this year's tributes will be...” he paused for dramatic effect. “All boys!”

There was an eruption of relieved gasps from the section where the eligible girls stood and Hikaru found himself also showing signs of relief. His sisters and parents were safe then. Hikaru had never considered the possibility of a god, but he thought something divine was working in his favor that day. Unfortunately, just as soon as he'd realized his sisters were safe, he remembered that the stakes just became twice as high for Pavel and him.

The boys were all looking at each other, shocked and confused, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

“How exciting!” Zorro exclaimed. “Now, time to choose the two brave men who will represent District 3 in the 100th annual Hunger Games!”

The tension in the square had increased tenfold and Hikaru found himself reaching for Pavel's hand with his own sweaty palm.

Zorro's jewelry clad hand reached into the large Reaping ball containing the boy's names and swirled it around before selecting the first name.

“Ivan Peters.”

Silence fell as a young boy was escorted up to the stage by two Peacekeepers. The expression on his face was pure shock and Hikaru realized this was probably the boy's first Reaping.

“God,” Pavel whispered. “The young ones are always the worst.”

“I know,” Hikaru responded, squeezing Pavel's hand in reassurance. “We're halfway there, Pav.”

Pavel nodded and closed his eyes.

“Now for the second male tribute!” Zorro repeated the process, feeling around for the second unlucky boy's name.

This time, it seemed to take forever for him to grab a slip of paper. Seconds passed like hours and Hikaru found himself sweating nervously.

Finally, the escort picked a slip he found acceptable and looked out at the crowd before announcing the name.

“Pavel Chekov.”

Time seemed to stop as the name rang out through the square. At first, Hikaru didn’t even realize Pavel’s name had been called. It had sounded so foreign on the lips of the Capitol escort that he hadn’t believed it was real. But Pavel’s hand was no longer in his and he struggled with his blurring vision as Pavel called his name. 

“Hikaru,” Pavel's voice was a mere whimper.

Hikaru suddenly lost feeling in his legs and it took everything in him not to collapse right there. The boys around him saw him waver and reached out to steady them. He pushed them away. The Peacekeepers approached and the other boys spread out to let them through. He couldn’t force himself to do anything but stare at Pavel as they led him up to the stage.

The Peacekeepers left Pavel's side when he got to the stage, clearly seeing that he wasn't going to try and run. Zorro smiled at Pavel, putting a hand on his back and leading him across the stage to stand by the other boy.

Before Hikaru could stop himself, his body was propelling him forward and into the clearing. Peacekeepers came from all sides and tried to force him back into the crowd of boys but they froze when he shouted, “I volunteer!”

Silence spread across the crowd for a moment and Hikaru wished he could take it back and disappear into the sea of boys once more. He’d just signed his own death warrant. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a volunteer!” Zorro announced, clapping his hands together. Ever since Katniss Everdeen had bravely volunteered for her sister all those years ago, volunteers had become more frequent from all the districts, but it still surprised most of the escorts when it happened.

The crowd was dead quiet as the Peacekeepers led Hikaru up to the stage. When he was standing in between Pavel and the other boy, Zorro turned to the mayor and the two mentors, unsure of what the volunteer rules were when it came to two male tributes.

“Karu,” Pavel whined, pinching his eyes shut, but not before a tear rolled down his cheek. “Why?”

It was an automatic reaction, but Hikaru knew exactly why he did it. Although it would mean giving up his life, Pavel was going to return to District 3. “You're going to live,” he replied. “Even if I have to kill every single one of them.”

Zorro returned to the microphone. “It seems the rules for volunteers are a bit different concerning the same gender, so we will be flipping a coin to see which boy will be ineligible for the Games.”

The escort turned to the three boys standing on stage. “Pavel, since you're older, you call heads or tails.”

Pavel nodded as Zorro flipped the coin. “Heads.”

It was tails.

A screech of relief echoed from the crowd of parents when Ivan was told to rejoin the group of boys.

“What's your name?” Zorro asked and it took Hikaru a moment to realize the question was directed at him.

He looked out at the crowd, searching for his parent's faces, but they were lost in the crowd. The blank faces of District 3 citizens stared back at him, faces of people he loved. He saw his sisters, clutching either side of Nyota Uhura, one of his friends from school. His eyes landed on Marta, the woman who'd let him into her shop that morning so he could buy a fancy Capitol chocolate bar for Pavel and him to share after the Reaping. It had cost him 6 weeks of allowance. He supposed it didn’t matter now. 

“Hikaru Sulu.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, may we present our tributes: Pavel Chekov and Hikaru Sulu!”

As they turned around to be led through the doors of the Hall of Justice, a four note melody echoed from the crowd. Hikaru recognized it as the infamous Mockingjay call, the one Katniss Everdeen had used to communicate with that little girl from District 11. A few people from the crowd raised their hands in the three finger salute that had become a symbol of the squashed rebellion.

People still believe, Hikaru thought, even after all these years.

Hikaru saw a man on his knees, a Peacekeeper pointing a gun at the back of his head. As the doors closed, a shot echoed through the square.


	2. Goodbyes

Hikaru and Pavel are led into the Hall of Justice and put into separate rooms to say their goodbyes. The room Hikaru was in had a window overlooking the meadow behind the Hall. He could see the mountains that formed the Western border of Panem beyond the fences of District 3. He’d heard rumors that there was an ocean on the other side of the mountains, but Hikaru had never seen it himself. No one from District 3 had, so he had no idea if the rumors were true. 

He stared out the window and for a second contemplated pushing it open and making a run for it. He brushed the thought away, knowing he wouldn’t be the first to try or the last to fail. Besides, he couldn’t abandon Pavel, not after the things he’d said on stage. 

A few moments later, Hikaru's immediate family files into the room. His father is wearing a mask of composure, but his mother and sisters aren't holding themselves together. His twelve year old sister, Mikasa clings to his side as her tears soak his cardigan.

None of them know what to say so they just embrace each other. His father is the one who finally breaks the silence.

“Why did you volunteer?” he asks, his face stern as if he's angry.

“I can't let Pavel go in alone.”

“You're an idiot,” his father responded.

Hikaru was taken aback by his father's comment. Sure, it was stupid to volunteer for the Games, but hadn’t he always been taught that bravery was the most important character? His father told him stories of their ancestors who came from across the ocean, before Panem existed. After they’d practiced their sword fighting on weekends, he told Hikaru about the brave things his people did for a country that rejected them, hundreds of years ago during a conflict called World War Two. 

“Stop,” his mother whispered, shooting an angry glare at his father through her tears. He simply shrugged.

“You're thinking the same thing,” he replied to her. “It's stupid for him to risk his life for a boy who will never love him back.”

“Dad!” Hikaru exclaimed. “It's not like that!”

“Stop it, both of you!” his mother cried. “Hikaru, promise me you won't make any more... rash decisions. Please don't risk your life to save his.”

“I can't make that promise, but I’ll try.” He would risk himself to save Pavel any day and his mother knew that. 

They spent the remainder of their time together embracing and when the Peacekeepers came his mother turned back to him, pressing a small metal object into his palm. “Your arena token,” she said and turned toward to door to leave.

As soon as the door closed, Hikaru looked down to find out what his mother had given him. It was a small pin with a bird on it, a dove he thinks. He turns it over to see his name and birthday are etched onto it. He realizes now why his mother has chosen this object. For generations the families in District 3 had given each child an animal to serve as their guide throughout childhood and once they were ready to marry they would exchange tokens with their significant other as a symbol of the merging of two families. He knew his mother wasn't optimistic about him returning from the arena. No matter how much he practiced his fencing with his father, he knew that the other boys in the arena were going to be ten times as fierce, especially the boys from the career districts.

Hikaru put the pin in his pocket and turned as the Peacekeepers let someone else into the room. He was surprised to see the tear streaked face of his other friend, Nyota Uhura. He hadn’t expected her to come see him off. They were casual friends at school, but Nyota was from the poorer part of the District, she worked on her days off so they didn’t see each other outside of class. 

“Hikaru,” Nyota said as she looked around the room awkwardly.

“Nyota, I can’t believe you came.” Hikaru managed a smile as he pulled her into a firm hug. 

“Of course I did,” she said. “I had to say good luck.”

“Well I’ll need it.”

“Face it Hikaru, you’re bound to be better than most of the boys from non-Career Districts,” Nyota said as she released him from the hug. She held him at an arm’s length and looked into his eyes as she spoke. “You’re going to be noticed. You’re a volunteer and you’re strong and know how to use a sword. They’ll be rooting for you.” 

“It’s not me I’m worried about…” Hikaru let his voice trail off as he stared at the door over Nyota’s shoulder. 

“Pavel,” Nyota sighed. “I need to go see him, too.” She looked up at Hikaru as if asking permission to see her other friend before time was up.

“Go,” Hikaru said. “I’ll be fine.” 

“Thank you.” She turned to leave, but paused. “Hikaru?” 

“Yeah?”

She turned around and planted a kiss on Hikaru’s lips. He pulled back instantly, shocked.

“I just wanted to know what it would be like,” she explained. “But I know he’s the only one who exists in your universe.”

“Nyota!” Hikaru called after her, but she was already out the door. 

A moment after Nyota left, another visitor entered the room. It was Pavel’s dad.

“Mr. Chekov?” Hikaru asked, his surprise thinly veiled. 

“Hikaru Sulu,” Pavel’s dad said in his thick foreign accent. “I wanted to thank you for what you did for my son today.”

Hikaru nodded.

“You are a very brave boy…” his voice trailed off as he looked out the window at the mountains Hikaru had briefly considered making a run for. He turned back around and continued speaking. “You know your name in Japanese means “to shine”. You shine like a light in the darkness of this District, Hikaru, in all of Panem.” 

“Japanese?” Hikaru asked. He knew other languages existed in other lands, but foreign language was forbidden in Panem so he didn’t know the names of them. 

“Ah yes, Japan, the land where your ancestors are from,” Mr. Chekov explained. “Remember Hikaru, I spent much of my life outside of Panem, seeing other lands.”

Hikaru was silent. Everyone knew other lands existed, but they assumed the rest of the world was uninhabited and everyone lived in Panem. He was grateful that Pavel’s father had told him these things, however, he knew information like that was dangerous and Mr. Chekov would be in big trouble if he was heard repeating it. 

“Knowledge is power, Hikaru. Don’t forget that.”

And with that, Mr. Chekov left the room and the Peacekeepers filed into the room to lead him out the Justice Building. They escorted both he and Pavel onto the train platform where they were met with camera flashes and shouting. Hikaru could see the tears in Pavel’s eyes but he knew he was trying to keep a relatively strong façade for the cameras. 

They boarded the train where Zorro showed them to their separate rooms.

“You have an hour to get changed and meet in the dining car for dinner,” their escort informed Hikaru as he shut the door behind him. 

Hikaru was tempted to go down the hall and see Pavel, but he needed some time to himself. He sat down on the enormous bed and thought about what his father, Nyota, and Chekov’s father had said. Did his father really know the extent of his feelings for Pavel? Up until today, even he hadn’t realized what Pavel meant to him. Nothing like volunteering for your best friend to make you realize you love him, Hikaru thought. And now he was going to have to protect him from twenty-two other boys with weapons in their hands. Hikaru realized he might even have to protect Pavel from himself. The games changed people, he knew this, but could someone really change enough in a few days to turn on someone they loved? He’d seen it happen before. 

And Nyota. What had she meant when she kissed him? And what she said about Pavel? Had everyone known he was in love with Pavel but him?

However, the thing Mr. Chekov had said struck him as the most important. Had he really been to other places? Hikaru knew Pavel’s family wasn’t from District 3 but he just assumed they were from another district, far away where their accents were different. 

It was all too much to take in and Hikaru was exhausted from the teary hugs and goodbyes, so he fell back on the giant, soft bed and promptly fell asleep.

**X X X**

Hikaru was woken by a pounding on his door. He jumped up to open the door but Zorro was already barging in, Pavel in tow.

“I see you haven’t had time to change,” Zorro commented with an exasperated sigh. He started going through the dresser to find Hikaru something to wear. “They never seem to care about looking nice for dinner.”

“Yeah, well looking nice isn’t really a priority where we come from.” Hikaru rolled his eyes. 

Pavel smiled at Hikaru’s sarcastic comment. 

“Hey, Pav. You hungry?” Hikaru asked as he stripped off his now smelly cardigan and began unbuttoning his shirt.

“Starving,” Pavel replied.

“Good!” Zorro threw a change of clothes onto the bed for Hikaru and clapped his hands together. “Hurry up, we’ve got a seven course meal waiting for you two lucky boys.” 

Hikaru rolled his eyes once again at the theatrics that surrounding their escorts every move and quickly changed into the new pair of clothes. After Zorro had properly fluffed the hair of all three of them, they were led to the dining car to meet their mentors.

“May I introduce your mentors for the next week, Kaori and Lucius,” Zorro announced.

The female, Kaori stood up and shook both of their hands, a wide smile on her face. Hikaru was struck by how plainly beautiful she was with her silky dark hair and almond shaped brown eyes. She reminded him a lot of his youngest sister, Mako, and for a second he wondered if they might be related. Lucius on the other hand wasn't as polite. He simply nodded at them before pouring another glass of amber colored alcohol from the well-stocked train bar. 

“Don't mind him, he always warms up,” Kaori explained, turning to Pavel. “You’re even more precious in person.” She grinned as she ran her hand through his curly hair.

Hikaru was struck with a pang of jealousy. It wasn't the first time he’d felt defensive over people’s interest in Pavel, but what his father had said earlier was still bothering him.

“Hikaru Sulu...” Lucius droned as he looked up after taking a sip from the Capitol provided alcohol. “Seems you're mine. Aren't you lucky?”

Hikaru turned back to Pavel who seemed to be deep in conversation with Kaori. “Yeah,” he groaned.

“Well son, the best advice I can give you is don't do anything stupid.”

“How wise,” Hikaru responded, taking a seat at the table next to Pavel.

“Lucius may act like the town drunk, but don't be fooled,” Kaori explained. “He was ruthless in the arena. There's a lot you could learn from him.”

Lucius looked down at his glass, his shaggy blonde hair covering the blue-grey eyes that were dulled by the alcohol. Hikaru could swear he saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks. Him and Kaori couldn't be... no. Hikaru brushed off the thought. Surely someone as beautiful and kind as Kaori couldn’t want anything to do with this drunken idiot. Sure, Hikaru thought Lucius was kind of attractive, with the golden skin of someone who didn’t have to spend the daylight hours in District 3’s factories and the strong hands of a Hunger Games victor but, he didn’t have the personality to match. 

“So when do we start discussing tactics?” Pavel asked as the red clothed Avox served their first course.

“This one's pretty eager to figure out how he's going to die,” Lucius scoffed.

“We have names you know,” Hikaru responded briskly.

“They all do at first, but you'll figure out real quick that you're no more than nameless cattle being led to slaughter.” Lucius grinned and sniffed the dish put in front of him, a thick orange soup that smelled of pumpkins and something sweet. He pushed the bowl away and reached for his drink. 

“Lucius!” Kaori's fork emitted a sharp clang as it fell from her hand. “You're going to scare them.”

“They should be scared. Fear is what keeps you alive.” Lucius looked right at Hikaru when he said it. “That's your first lesson. I'll be in my room.” He bowed somewhat ungracefully and retreated to the sleeping car.

“Sorry about that,” Kaori apologized, red faced. “He can be hotheaded at times.”

“No,” Hikaru replied. “He's right. We should be scared.”

Kaori examined him for a second before asking, “you volunteered, didn't you?”

Hikaru nodded.

“Why?”

“I couldn't let Pavel face those people alone.” He looked over at Pavel and saw him pushing his spoon around in his soup. It was the first time Hikaru had ever seen Pavel not interested in his food.

“You must be very brave.”

Hikaru shook his head. Reckless maybe, but brave? No. He was willing to sacrifice himself because he wasn’t brave enough to live without his best friend. There was nothing more cowardly than that.


	3. The Truth Comes Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not as happy with this chapter as the other ones but oh well. I needed a way to introduce the other tributes and this is as good as it got. Thanks for reading. :D

After dinner, Kaori gathered the five of them in the lounge car to watch a recap of the reapings in other districts. 

Zorro perched on the edge of the loveseat Kaori and Lucius sat in, leaving the two armchairs for Hikaru and Pavel.

“All right, may as well start with 1,” Kaori said as she turned on the TV. 

“May as well,” Lucius sighed as he took a sip of glass of water Kaori was forcing him to drink. Although he still didn’t seem pleased to be there, he was more alert than when he’d skipped out on dinner. His hair was slightly wet and Hikaru assumed either Kaori or Zorro had made him shower. 

The Capitol seal flashed across the screen and when the anthem was done playing, the scene switched to the District 1 square where two tall boys stood on stage, their hands raised high while the crowd cheered. The excitement from the people of District 1 seemed genuine and Hikaru remembered that along with 2 and 4, District 1 was one of the districts that actually thought it was an honor to fight in the Games. Most of the time, the winners came from one of those three districts because they trained their children from the time they were able to hold weapons. It wasn’t technically legal to train, but the Capitol allowed it because it made for an even bloodier Games when some of the children were more prepared. 

“Constantine and Phoenix, both in their last year of eligibility, both volunteers,” Lucius explained. “They will be deadly in the arena.” 

Hikaru heard Pavel’s shaky sigh and gave him a reassuring hand squeeze. “They don’t look so bad.” 

“Well, they’re used to a pretty cushy life in District 1. The tributes from 2 will be the ones to worry about,” Kaori warned. 

“Oh yes.” Zorro agreed. “The Peacekeepers are trained there, so the tributes are always fierce. All my favorite victors are from 2.”

Lucius rolled his eyes and took a gulp of water, probably wishing it were vodka. 

The District 2 seal flashed across the screen and a name was called.

“Leonard McCoy!” said the District 2 escort. 

A physically imposing boy was led to the stage. He didn’t raise his hands in victory like the tributes from 1, but Hikaru could tell by the smirk on his face that he was happy his name had been called. 

The second boy’s name was called, James Kirk. He was smaller in build than Leonard, but he had the kind of expression that told Hikaru he couldn’t wait to get into the arena and rip someone’s face off. 

The two boys shook hands and patted each other on the back, making Hikaru wonder if they were friends. 

District 3 was next and Pavel grabbed for Hikaru’s hand as they watched their own reaping. Pavel’s name was called and when Hikaru volunteered, the camera panned in on his family. Hikaru looked away. He didn’t want this to be his last image of his mother. 

District 4 is next. One of the boys is young, but looks capable of handling himself in the arena. The other is an older boy, another volunteer. 

Districts 5, 6, 7 and 8 all reap young, terrified looking boys. With the exception of one of the older ones from 6 who looks confident enough to at least get through the initial bloodbath at the Cornucopia, Hikaru expects none of them to survive the first day or two. Hikaru is thankful for this. At least none of these boys would become between him and Pavel’s survival. 

12 year old twins are reaped in District 9. Zorro lets out a surprised gasp and Lucius smashes his glass on the floor in anger. Kaori’s eyes fill with tears.

“That can’t be a coincidence, can it?” Pavel asks, his hands still shaking.

“No, it can’t.” Lucius responds, standing up to pace behind the love seat. 

The camera focuses in on the mother of the two boys. She’s standing in the crowd, alone with a baby in her arms. There’s no husband or extended family accompanying her. One of the women standing next to her takes the baby from her arms before she collapses on the ground. Two Peacekeepers pick her up and take her away. 

After that, no one really reacts to the reapings in 10, 11 and 12. They’re all younger than Hikaru and Pavel, all unprepared, but nothing was worse than watching the twins get reaped. 

The screen is blank for a few minutes before anyone speaks.

“Well, at least we know there won’t be too much competition,” Lucius says. He bends down to help the Avox clean his broken glass off the floor and Zorro starts to protest, but shuts his mouth and doesn’t say anything. 

“There’s still the tributes from 1 and 2,” Pavel reminds him. 

“With a little training, you two will stand a fair chance.” Kaori tries to console them, but everyone in the room knows the Careers have a huge advantage. 

“What skills do they even have? They’re too soft, sitting in school all day, destined for jobs as lab techs,” Lucius reminds her cynically.

“Do you have any skills?” Kaori asks, clearly hoping Lucius is wrong.

“Hikaru’s father taught him fencing,” Pavel offers.

Lucius just laughs. “What are you doing to do, dance while you poke the other tributes with a stick?” 

Pavel’s face falls.

“No that’s good!” says Kaori. “You’ve already got the skills, we’ll get you equipped with a heavier blade and teaching you will take no time. There are almost always swords in the arena.”

“What about me?” Pavel asks. “I’ve never even held a weapon.” 

“He’s fast,” Hikaru says. 

Lucius and Kaori look at him with blank stares. 

“Well it’s not going to kill anyone, but it’s good defense.” Hikaru shrugged. “He runs all the time back home.” 

It was true. Pavel went on runs after school to relieve stress. Not being from District 3 originally, school had been tough for him. Not the academic part, Pavel was extremely smart, but the other kids didn’t like him. They made fun of his accent and his smallness. Besides Hikaru, running was the only thing that kept him sane sometimes.

“Well it’s better than nothing, which is what we’re used to.” Lucius shrugged. 

**X X X**

 

Since District 3 bordered the Capitol it wouldn’t take long to get there, but it would be well into the night before they arrived so Hikaru retreated to his quarters to rest.

When he opened the door to his room, Pavel was seated on the bed.

“Hey,” Hikaru mumbled as he opened the drawers looking for a pair of pajamas.

“We never got to talk after this morning. Alone, I mean.” Pavel's words ran together in a nervous fashion.

“There's not much to say,” Hikaru replied, taking off the plain shirt Zorro had instructed him to wear for dinner and stripping off his pants. He slipped on a pair of white silk pajama pants. They were uncomfortable and foreign feeling, but they would have to do.

“There is plenty to say!” Pavel exclaimed, his accent becoming thicker with anger. “Like how it was stupid of you to volunteer.”

Hikaru turned around. “There was a 50% chance of saving you. I wasn't going to stand there and watch them take you away from me.”

“Well they did anyway,” Pavel said. “And they took you, too, just like they took Aiko.”

Pavel's words cut Hikaru deep. His lips were pursed and he said, “don't you ever bring that up again.”

Pavel's looked like he regretted saying it, but he didn’t apologize. “Still Hikaru, what you did was reckless.”

“Trying to save your life was reckless? Yeah, I'm sure your father would agree,” he scoffed and turned to look out the window of the train. 

Pavel's eyes watered. “Karu don’t...”

Hikaru slid a hand through his already mussed up hair and sighed. “God, Pavel, I'm sorry.” He took a deep breath and sat down beside his best friend. “What I did was impulsive, but I don't regret it.”

“I know,” Pavel sighed, laying his head on Hikaru's bare shoulder. “It's just... ah it's nothing.”

“Tell me.”

“It's just that, well, they've messed up everything!” Pavel stood up and started pacing.

Hikaru was confused. “Who messed up what?”

“The Capitol, the officials... the stupid president!” Pavel nearly whispered the last part.

“Why? It's not like we had bright futures anyway.” Hikaru was surprised; he'd never heard Pavel talk like this. Sure, they were from the better part of the District and they were both smart so they were practically guaranteed jobs in the labs, but their livings would be meager at best. What exactly did the Capitol have to take from them?

“Hikaru,” Pavel sighed, leaning his forehead against the dresser. “I did not want it to be like this.”

“Well neither did I, but we can try to make the best of it, try to survive,” Hikaru responded. Pavel was worrying him.

“That is not what I mean,” Pavel mumbled.

“Talk to me.” He stood and walked over to his friend, giving him a hug from behind. “Pasha, it's okay.”

“Ack, do not call me that!” Pavel jerked away from Hikaru.

“Pavel, just talk to me. I'm your best friend,” Hikaru begged. The two of them had never fought before and the way Pavel was acting was scaring him.

“Zat is the problem!” Pavel trailed off into his native language, refusing to look Hikaru in the eye.

“Pavel, I...” Hikaru didn't know what to say. What could be so bad that he couldn’t tell his best friend?

“Hikaru, the truth is... I feel for you more than friendship.” Pavel's hands trembled. “I do not know the word in your language.”

“A crush? You have a crush on me?” Hikaru asked, his voice starting to shake. 

“No, is different than that. This is embarrassing Hikaru. I should leave.” Pavel turned to leave but Hikaru stopped him.

“Love.”

Pavel turned around, his cheeks red with embarrassment, meeting Hikaru's eyes for the first time that night.

“You love me?” Hikaru asked.

“Love... love.” Pavel repeated the word several times, making sure it was correct. “Yes, that is the word.”

Hikaru broke out into the cheesiest smile he could imagine and started laughing.

Pavel looked down, growing more embarrassed. “Why is that funny?”

“You didn’t know the word 'love'?”

“Words I do not use often, I do not remember,” Pavel explained, still perplexed by his friend's reaction.

“Oh Pasha,” Hikaru smiled again before pulling Pavel in and connecting their lips.

The kiss lasted all of three seconds, but it was the most wonderful three seconds of Hikaru's life. It was his second kiss of the day, the first time he’d dared to kiss a boy, but as the sweetness of Pavel lingered on his lips, he wondered why he hadn’t done it sooner.

Pavel pulled away far sooner than Hikaru would have liked, but the expression on his face was clear. The feeling he'd described was definitely love.

“Hikaru, I...”

“I know Pavel, I do too,” he said, bringing his lips to Pavel's for another taste.

“Is okay then? That I feel this way?” Pavel asked, still not quite sure what to make of the situation.

“It's more than okay.” Hikaru smiled and pulled Pavel in for a hug. “I was so stupid not to see it earlier.”

“It's okay, Hikaru. I am only now realizing the extent of my feelings.”

“It's just that my dad said something earlier,” he said, remembering the last words he’d shared with his father. 

“What?”

“It's nothing. Do you want to sleep in here tonight?” Hikaru asked, wanting to keep his father's words to himself.

Pavel nodded eagerly. “I will go get my stuff. It will be like old times when I would sleep at your house!”

“Almost like old times.”

Pavel grinned and gave Hikaru a peck on the cheek before darting out the door and around the corner to his own quarters.

“Oh I almost forgot!” Hikaru jumped up when Pavel returned, rummaging through the pockets of his folded dress pants. He pulled out the chocolate bar he'd bought earlier. “I got this for us to share after the Reaping.”

Pavel's eyes lit up when he saw what Hikaru had in his hand. “I have never had chocolate before!”

This didn't surprise Hikaru. The only time he'd had chocolate was on his first day of school, when everyone got treats. He knew it was another form of Capitol control, but he couldn’t help remembering how wonderful the chocolate had tasted on his tongue. Since Pavel hadn’t moved to District 3 until halfway through primary school, he hadn't experienced it.

“Here.” Hikaru broke off a chunk and handed it to Pavel. “You have the first taste.”

Pavel smiled and raised the chocolate to his mouth, sniffing before biting into it.

“Boze moi!” Pavel exclaimed as he chewed the chocolate. “It's so good, Karu! This must have cost a fortune!”

“Well it wasn’t cheap,” Hikaru admitted. “I guess it doesn't really matter now. I should have spent the rest of my allowance.”

Pavel frowned. “Hikaru, we cannot afford to think like that.”

Hikaru knew in the back of his mind that he shouldn’t be saying things like that, especially around Pavel, but he couldn’t help it. They were on a one way train ride and everyone knew it. Why put on a show?

“I'm sorry, it's just...” Hikaru sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I keep thinking about how Aiko felt and the fact that she had to do this alone.”

“At least we are together,” Pavel reminded him.

“At least we're together,” Hikaru echoed.

“Have some chocolate.” Pavel proceeded to break off a piece of the chocolate bar and shove it in Hikaru's mouth. They fell back on the bed in a fit of giggles and ate until it was gone.

“Pavel,” Hikaru said, his voice raspy from all the laughing. They had dimmed the lights to go to sleep and Hikaru rolled onto his side to face Pavel.

“Yes?”

“If I had to do this with anyone, I'm glad it's you.”

Pavel smiled and continued to stare at the ceiling. “I'm glad, Hikashka.”

Hikaru closed his eyes and snuggled up to Pavel's side, breathing in. He smelled like the mountains of District 3 and clean laundry. They'd never slept this close before so Hikaru had never noticed the way Pavel's eyelids fluttered about while he was trying to fall asleep, or the way his breathing became soft and deep in his exhaustion. Hikaru could smack himself for not doing this earlier, for only having a few days of this closeness before everything was over.

They both slept well that night, wrapped in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated as always. :D


	4. The Capitol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it's been way too long. Sorry guys!

Hikaru and Pavel were awoken in the early morning by their escort, Zorro. He still wore his clothes from the Reaping but his lipstick and wig color had changed from silver to a garish grape. He barely glanced at their entwined limbs before stomping into the room.

“Good morning, you two!” he greeted them. “We'll be arriving at the Capitol in fifteen minutes!”

Chekov whimpered and rolled over, pulling the blanket over his face.

“What time is it?” Hikaru sat up and rubbed sleep from his eyes.

“Nearly 3:30,” Zorro responded, throwing a black garment at Hikaru.

“Why are you still awake?” he asked.

Zorro turned around and gave Hikaru a puzzled look. “It's only 3:30.”

Hikaru furrowed his eyebrows and threw back the satin bed covers. He contemplated the clothing Zorro had given him. It seemed to be a sleeveless jumpsuit but it had so many parts that wrapped around he wasn’t sure how to put it on. He looked to his escort for help.

Zorro shook his head and put out his hands. “Let me.”

Hikaru slipped off his white pajama pants shyly and held his arms up so Zorro could help him dress. Zorro spent a few extra minutes taming Hikaru's hair and left the room.

“Pav,” Hikaru whispered in Pavel's ear. “Time to get up.”

Pavel moaned and threw back the covers, squinting his eyes in the bright light of the room.

“Zorro brought us clothes.” Hikaru handed Pavel his matching jumpsuit.

“Um, it's... interesting.” Pavel stared at the piece of clothing for a few seconds, clearly confused.

“Lemme help,” Hikaru offered and helped Pavel dress the way Zorro had helped him.

When the boys were dressed, they headed into the bathroom. Hikaru scoured the cabinet for a bar of soap to wash his face and was taken aback when he found not only bar soap, but liquid soap for the hands, face, body and hair. There were all kinds of lotions and even two toothpaste flavors to choose from.

“Hey Pavel, mint or cinnamon?” Hikaru asked, holding up the tubes of toothpaste.

“What's cinnamon taste like?” he asked.

“Dunno,” Hikaru shrugged and opened the tube to sniff it. It had a foreign but not entirely unpleasant scent. Still he thought it would be better to go with the more familiar mint.

As he brushed his teeth he noticed how much better Capitol toothpaste tasted than the stuff they used in the Districts. The flavor was much stronger and it foamed more, which Hikaru assumed meant his teeth were cleaner. Toothpaste wasn’t hard to come by at home, at least not in his neighborhood. But still, with two sisters, his family had to ration their toothpaste supply. Sometimes Hikaru only got to brush his teeth every other day. Hikaru squeezed another glob of toothpaste out of the tube and brushed his teeth for a second time.

Pavel washed his face while Hikaru was brushing his teeth for a second time. He picked out a blue colored liquid soap with white beads that warmed when he rubbed his hands together.

“Karu, you’ve got to try this,” Pavel said as he scrubbed his face with the warming soap and rinsed a few more times than necessary to get the benefits of the hot water. 

After they’d experimented with the multiple soaps and lotions in the bathroom, they ventured back to the dining car where Zorro and their mentors were already eating breakfast. Although it was the middle of the night, the table had been stocked with all kinds of breads, jams and cookies for breakfast. Hikaru poured Pavel and himself a cup of spicy herbal hot liquid called chai tea. They’d never tasted anything as rich and warming as it back home.

“When we reach the Capitol, you will be taken straight to the remake center for your preliminary makeovers,” Zorro explained, as he looked through the itinerary for the next week. “You will meet with your stylists and be presented to the Capitol in the tribute parade in the morning and tomorrow you start training!” 

“What exactly will the training consist of?” Hikaru asked, shoving a cheese bun in his mouth. 

“Oh all kinds of things!” Zorro clapped delightfully. “You will learn about poisonous plants, how to find food, rope tying. But most importantly, you’ll learn how to fight each other!”

This was the part Hikaru was dreading the most, aside from the actual Games. Having to meet the other boys, boys who he was going to have to kill or be killed by. Sure, the Careers from Districts 1, 2 and 4 wouldn’t be hard to kill. They were all murderers, training from the moment they could hold a weapon. Hikaru wouldn’t feel as bad if it came down to him and one of them. But the others boys, ones who had never even so much as touched a weapon, they would be the hard ones. The innocents, only trying to protect themselves, not in it for the glory. Boys like Pavel and him. Boys who just wanted to survive. 

In the end, it really comes down to who has the most will to live.

“Can’t wait,” Hikaru said as he grabbed for another frosted cookie. He wasn’t that hungry, but he figured he would eat all he could before he starved in the arena.

Kaori and Lucius made small talk with Zorro as they sipped their coffee and ate their pastries, but Pavel and Hikaru were silent, partly because they didn’t have anything to say and partly because they were stuffing their faces with delicious food. 

“All right everyone, finish up, the Capitol awaits!” Zorro said as the train slowed to enter a tunnel. 

Hikaru and Pavel both ran over to the window when the Capitol came into view. Although it was the middle of the night, the city was lit up so well you could hardly tell. As the train pulled into the station on the edge of the bustling metropolis, the two boys got their first glance at Capitol nightlife. 

It was almost 4 AM and people were roaming the streets. Everyone was dressed in their Capitol best for the party that signaled the beginning of the 100th Hunger Games. Flashes of different bright colors were everywhere as people danced in the streets. Hikaru swore he saw colors he didn’t even have names for. 

“They’re up early,” Pavel noted.

“They’ve been up all night celebrating you!” Zorro explained, putting his hands on both the boys’ shoulders and looking out the window with them.

“Even the children?” Hikaru asked, perplexed at the amount of children that were stumbling around drunk like their parents. 

“Especially the children.” Zorro winked and then sighed. “What I wouldn’t give to be out there with them. But alas, duty awaits!” He spun around with his special brand of Capitol flourish. “Come now! Your prep team is eager to meet you.”

**X X X**

“Ah good this one is nice and hairless!” One of Hikaru’s prep team, Augustus he thinks, giggles as he undressed Hikaru on the metal table in the remake center.

“Hey, I’m not totally hairless,” Hikaru countered, his pride a little hurt. He hadn’t started shaving yet, but there was a small patch of hair forming on his chest. At home, most of the other boys seemed more grown up, but no matter. Hikaru’s father had always told him the men in their family tended to be smaller and softer, but that didn’t make a difference, not with how Hikaru could handle a sword.

“Oh no, being hairless is fashionable for men this season!” The other half of the duo, Cornelia, responds as she pours a small bit of hot wax onto Hikaru’s chest. 

“Oh good,” he responds, sarcasm thick in his voice but apparently lost on the two. 

“You’ll be out of here in no time,” says Augustus.

Hikaru gives a sharp yelp as Cornelia rips what little hair is on his body off and after an awkward naked scrub down, he is sent to a private room to meet his stylist. 

He waits a few minutes before hearing the knob turn. In walks in a foolishly dressed woman, complete with a gold glittery wig and pink thigh high boots. Hikaru can’t even find the words to describe her garish dress, but as he studies her face he realizes he recognizes her. She’s older now, but it’s unmistakable who she is. 

“Effie Trinket?” 

“That’s me, darling!” she responds with a flick of the hand. 

Effie Trinket was the escort for District 12 when Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won. Everyone remembers her because she was the only escort in history to have the pleasure of two victors. And she never let anyone forget.

“When did you become a stylist?” Hikaru asked, caring more about her rise on the Capitol food chain than whatever awful outfit she’d designed for him. He felt a touch of shame at his shallowness but he had to admit, as much as he hated the Capitol, he was a little star struck meeting her. 

“Only last year. The old stylist from 3 requested a transfer to 12 after Cinna retired. Everyone is still dying to get their hands on 12, even so many years later.” She finishes the sentence and looks off into the distance, which is really a wall about 4 feet away, but Hikaru can tell she’s reminiscing about those unforgettable Games 26 years ago.

“What a step up.” Hikaru knows life in all the districts is miserable but from what he’s heard, District 3 is a paradise compared to the conditions District 12 citizens live in. It got cold in the mountains of District 3 sometimes but everyone always had ample heating and food to get by, at least in his part of town. Life would have been much worse if he’d come from a strictly controlled district like 11, or one where the children had been taught from birth that fighting in the Games was an honor, like 1, 2 or 4. He was thankful that he’d been born into the relatively safe part of District 3. 

“Oh yes! I’ve always admired District 3. My favorite electronics are made by the nimble hands of your neighbors.” She winked, as if the statement was supposed to be provocative but Hikaru didn’t understand.

“Anyway.” Hikaru shifted in his seat and changed the subject. “So what ridiculous costume will we be wearing this year?” 

“Oh I’d hardly call it ridiculous. My understudies are sewing it up right now.” Effie turned to the sketchbook laying on the table and started on a huge spiel about the costume they would wear this year. Something about lightning bolts inspired by the costume Cinna made for Katniss and Peeta. It didn’t seem to Hikaru that any of her designs had the slightest bit of originality, but she seemed like a perfectly nice woman, so he nodded occasionally without really listening to her words. 

Mostly he thought about Pavel and what his stylist was like. Effie and Pavel’s stylist had surely worked on the design together and he could just imagine Pavel rolling his eyes as the costume was explained to him and trying to figure out what lightning had to do with electronics. 

By the time they’d been fitted in their outfits and led to the staging area for the parade the sun had long since risen and Hikaru was growing hungry again. He yawned as Effie made some last minute adjustments on his costume and realized the extent of his exhaustion. Since the trip to the Capitol was so short, he and Pavel had only gotten a few hours of sleep since yesterday.

Effie noticed his yawn and slumped posture as she arranged his hair around the lightning bolt shaped headpiece she’d placed on him. “Don’t worry, my darling, the parade takes all of 10 minutes and then you’ve got the entire day to rest.”

Hikaru sighed in relief. The last day and a half had been so action packed, he didn’t think he could take much more excitement. He couldn’t wait to crawl into bed and sleep the day away, hopefully with Pavel. After a good meal though, he thought as his stomach growled. He could really go for another cheese bun. 

“Ah, here he is!” Effie turned and clapped in excitement as Pavel and his stylist Abdul walked over to the chariot that would be carrying the two of them in the parade. 

“Sorry I’m late! This one is smaller than I expected so I had to make alterations,” Abdul said as he pointed to Pavel. Effie and Abdul exchanged the air kisses that seemed so popular in the Capitol. Abdul wasn’t dressed as exotically as Effie in his leopard print suit and natural colored hair, but he definitely didn’t look like he was from the districts. 

Pavel looked ridiculous in the yellow and black body suit they were both dressed in, the lightning bolt shaped lighted pieces on his chest flashing fast enough to give someone a seizure. Even the headpiece looked too big and he kept having to push it back up until Abdul pinned it to his hair. 

But Hikaru forgot his embarrassment at the horrible costumes when Pavel grinned and practically jumped on him for a hug. 

“Clearly they don’t understand how electronics work,” Pavel whispered in his ear, referencing their costumes.

They held each other for longer than necessary, knowing that their time together was short. However, Hikaru released his grip when he heard their stylists making cooing noises. 

“We’ve got to play this up!” Abdul shooed them into the chariot where he clamped their hands together. “The sponsors will love you two!” 

“Forbidden love!” Effie sighed and Hikaru swore he saw a tear in her eye. 

Hikaru and Pavel looked at each other and shook their heads. Back home, same sex relationships weren’t totally unheard of but they were more common in the Capitol, where marriage was legal for everyone. No one was punished if they happened to be gay, but marriage was only allowed between men and women because in the Capitol’s eyes, the only reason to let the people in the districts marry was to produce more children for their Games. In District 3, as long as you were discreet, no one cared who you slept with. However, Hikaru had heard it was different in other districts. Some, like the harsher more authoritarian ones like 8, killed citizens engaging in what they considered “immoral”. 

Hikaru remembered that occasionally during the interviews, a tribute would mention having a significant other at home that was their same gender. It was a rare treat for the people in the Capitol and they ate it up. Typically, those tributes had lots of sponsors. Young love was the easiest way to win over the shallow citizens of the Capitol and not since the 74th Games have the lovers gone in together. Yes, Hikaru knew they needed to use this to their advantage. But only if Pavel was comfortable with it. They’d only just a few hours ago made their feelings clear to each other and Hikaru didn’t want to force Pavel to be more public than he wanted to be.

“Only if it’s okay with Pavel,” Hikaru insisted.

“Of course it’s okay with me, Karu.” Pavel looked up at Hikaru with his wide blue eyes. Hikaru hadn’t realized until then how much of a height difference there was between them. This only made him feel more protective.

Effie and Abdul squealed in unison. 

“It’s almost time,” said one of the attendants as he walked past all the tributes.

“All right you two, smiles bright and hands together. You’re a team now.” Abdul gave his last minute instructions as he fixed the collars on the ridiculous black and yellow body suit the two boys wore. 

The anthem started to play and the tributes from District 1 rolled out. Hikaru squeezed Pavel’s hand and gave him a reassuring smile. For a second, Hikaru smirked, wondering what his father would have to say when he saw his son holding hands with the boy he was about to sacrifice his life for, but was overtaken by a sudden wave of sadness. He forced himself to smile and wave as they emerged onto the path that led them to the square. The crowd was already cheering like crazy for the ever popular Districts 1 and 2, but when they saw the two boys from 3 holding hands, the roar became deafening. 

Hikaru tried to say something to Pavel but the cheers from the crowd made it impossible to hear each other even inches away. But Pavel understood what Hikaru was trying to say and leaned in to kiss him more passionately than the night before. They heard wails from the audience and Hikaru was sure at least half of them had already been brought to tears, but he didn’t care about them. He released Pavel’s hand and steadying himself on the railing of the chariot with the other, ran his fingers through Pavel’s curls. He felt more than heard Pavel’s heavy sigh as he ran his tongue across Pavel’s bottom lip. The screams continued and they both knew that they’d successfully captured the audience’s attention for the duration of the night. 

Pavel pulled back reluctantly when the chariot reached the circle and started to slow. A deep blush was evident on his cheeks and Hikaru couldn’t help but be more attracted to him at that moment. Their first truly passionate kiss and it had been broadcasted across the nation. What a way to start a relationship, Hikaru thought.

They held hands as the newly sworn in President Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the recently deceased Coriolanus Snow, gave the same old speech about Panem’s great and everlasting reign over the districts.

The camera that panned around the circle, giving the crowd an up close glimpse of all the tributes, lingered on the two boys from District 3. Hikaru noticed that they were on screen and stepped closer to Pavel, who laid his head on Hikaru’s shoulder and yawned. Although the President was giving her speech, there was a soft murmur from the crowd that made it obvious they’d been noticed once again. Hikaru was almost sure it’s Pavel that had the crowd enraptured. He’ll have to remember to have Pavel play off his young boyish demeanor. That will for sure earn them a sponsor or two. 

After the parade, they were led to the Training Center which would be their home for the next week. They rode the elevator to the third floor, which is all theirs. Hikaru found himself wishing they were from District 12, where they had access to the roof, because he’s heard the sunsets in the Capitol are beautiful and he’d like to see one for himself. Their stylists help them change out of their costumes and they meet Zorro and their mentors in the dining room.

“Fantastic first impression!” Kaori congratulates them as they’re served by purple robed Avoxes. 

Throughout dinner, the boys were silent, so tired they barely tasted their food, but the rest of the team was buzzing with excitement. Even Lucius seemed impressed with how they handled the parade. The general consensus is that they would be favorite this year, which means they would have sponsors, but they would also be bigger targets, especially from the Careers. 

After they’d finished eating, they were shown their separate rooms but Pavel followed Hikaru into his without a word. The two rooms looked identical, with one wall completely made of windows and a bed that could easily fit Hikaru’s whole family so he decided it was a good enough choice. Maybe tomorrow they’d sleep in Pavel’s room. 

“I’m just gonna…” Pavel fell sleepily into bed and his eyes immediately drooped with exhaustion. 

Hikaru smiled and pulled the covers over Pavel. He picked up the dimmer remote to turn the lights down and examined the other features. Pointing the remote at the window he clicked the button and it turned into a picturesque scene of the ocean at night. He stared at it in shock for a few seconds. This is what he’d lived so close to for all his life and hadn’t even known. He studied the gentle sea crashing on the sandy beach and decided it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. 

The two boys are lulled to sleep by the soft sound of ocean waves.


End file.
